In parts of Scotland, winter barley growers have been struggling to stop sterile brome creeping further and further into the fields and becoming a significant nuisance in terms of yield and harvesting. Robertson Crop Services (part of ProCam) have decided to invest in a new Horstine TMA4 granule applicator which will enable them to use Avadex Excel 15G granules (tri-allate) as the starter herbicide in a programme to combat this pernicious weed.
Richard Allan, MD of Robertson Crop Services, says that sterile brome is mostly around the headlands, but on some farms it has spread right across the field. “In a few instances I have known farmers abandon winter barley as their brome problem has spread into the field and control measures haven’t been adequate. We are hoping that a programme starting with Avadex and followed by Liberator or Crystal at high rates will do a good job.”
“Avadex however needs to be applied accurately. As the label says, you can’t just get away with a spinner as this produces an uneven pattern on the soil and variable results. Historically not much Avadex has been used and we just didn’t have the machinery to apply it. We heard that Horstine were manufacturing a new TMA4 applicator and so we decided to buy one to help our growers tackle this weed problem specifically in Scotland. We are offering growers a contract service to apply this herbicide around the headlands or into the field depending on the level of infestation. It will be a great start to the programme which will then be followed by a flufenacet herbicide,” says Richard.
Dr. Dominic Lamb of Gowan says Avadex will also control wild-oats, volunteer (tame) oats and moderate populations of Italian rye-grass and annual meadow-grass. “Applied pre-emergence of weeds, you can expect useful control of annual broad-leaved weeds including cleavers, charlock, chickweed, common poppy, field pansy, field speedwell, forget-me-not, fumitory, ivy leaved speedwell, mayweed spp and red dead-nettle. And Avadex is a non ALS herbicide if you are worried about poppy or chickweed resistance.”
He reminds growers that, although Robertsons are mostly targeting winter barley, Avadex can be used in winter wheat, durum wheat, triticale, winter rye, winter field beans, spring barley, peas, spring field beans, forage legumes, sugar beet, fodder beet, mangel and red beet.
Robertson agronomist Justin Taylor has come from a farm manager’s background and has seen the difficulty of sterile brome first hand. “Despite the prevalence of ploughing in this region, sterile brome has been creeping further and further into the field, sometimes 20 to 30 metres in. It has crept in from field margins, close to walls and fences where it is difficult to plough down. It may also have spread with straw as it has been moved around for livestock bedding or vegetable cover. Or it may be moved by machinery from field to field or farm to farm. Those farmers who min-till have also suffered from an increasing grass-weed problem. I am certain sterile brome has become a bigger and bigger problem each year.”
Justin points out that winter barley has fewer recommended grass-weed herbicides than winter wheat. “The pyroxulam co-forms are not recommended in barley for example. It is good to have Avadex in this crop along with Crystal and Liberator. You need both components. A programme of these chemicals 2 or 3 passes around the outside of the field should do a good job.”
The TMA4 has arrived in Scotland and will be up and running very soon, says Justin.
Dominic Lamb reminds growers that drilling depth is crucial - for wheat, triticale and rye this is 4 cms and for barley 2.5 to 4 cms. “Avadex should be applied to well-prepared moist seedbeds. Avoid very cloddy seedbeds. Loose and puffy seedbeds should be consolidated before drilling. Finally Avadex needs some moisture to be activated.”
Robertson Crop Services view is supported by the SRUC. In their latest newsletter (11 September 2014) it says “For bromes Avadex 15G at 15 kg/ha on headlands only is a good starter for both winter wheat and winter barley but would have to be followed by a residual such as Liberator or Crystal.” Avadex is also mentioned for its wild-oat control, control of which should be started in the autumn, particularly on early-drilled crops.
